


Beyond the Rose

by khaleesimaka



Series: The Bachelor AU [2]
Category: Soul Eater
Genre: AU, Bachelor AU, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-06-14
Packaged: 2018-06-04 19:25:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6672469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khaleesimaka/pseuds/khaleesimaka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are some things cameras don't catch. Collection of one shots from Bare Feet & Cowboy Boots.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ink

**Author's Note:**

> Written for SoMa week 2016 on tumblr for the prompt Ink. Takes place in ch 6 of Bare Feet & Cowboy Boots.

Another strip of paper found itself rolled up and tossed over Soul's shoulder only for him to pull another in front of him. For the last hour he had been trying to write down his true feelings toward Maka. After his uncalled actions in the kitchen, the lame attempt at being mysterious during the camp fire, he needed to do this. Maka hadn't taken his other hints of how he felt toward her; they had all gone over her head. Which meant she was either the densest woman ever, or didn't care about him.

Either way, Soul knew one thing for sure: he was utterly smitten.

Which was why he _needed_ to make this note _perfect_.

"Dammit," he muttered under his breath.

Soul scratched the pen across the words in an angry flurry, balled up the paper, and threw it onto the ground. It must have bounced against the floor because he heard the sound of jangling dog tags not a second later. Turning around in his chair, he saw Oglesby sit up from his nap and stare up at him. His big brown eyes were rimmed with red due to how late it was, and Soul felt as if the dog was annoyed at him for keeping him up passed midnight.

"You can go to your own bed, you know," Soul told him. "You don't have to stay here."

Oglesby only yawned, stood up, and walked over to where his dog bed laid in the study. He circled the red and brown bed before flopping down, half his body hanging off it with plenty of room on the other side. Soul shook his head and smiled to himself.

"Dumb dog."

Turning back around, Soul went back to the task at hand. So far his notes had either been too detailed or didn't convey his feelings well enough. He wanted Maka to know that his conversation with Marie had been about him wanting to things naturally with _her_. It hadn't been about him not finding a potential partner amongst the girls. Truth be told, he hated going on dates with multiple women he didn't care about. Especially when he already knew who he wanted to be with.

Her.

Maka.

She was the one he had fallen for in such a short amount of time, as cliché as it seemed. And he wanted to fall even harder for her naturally. He wanted to take her out on proper dates that didn't call for cameras, hold her in his arms as they watched the sunset, and kiss her - really kiss her - with the passion and adoration he felt toward her. He didn't want America to be a part of their love story or put on a show for entertainment.

He wanted something _real_ and _authentic_.

With _her_.

It wasn't like Marie couldn't have gone off to find another bachelor for the show. There were bound to be plenty of other illegible men who would jump at the opportunity to date a group of women at once. She didn't need someone who had been forced into it because his brother couldn't control his need to interfere with Soul's love life.

A month wasn't long enough to know if he loved her or not. Two months weren't enough to know that. There were still things he wanted to know about her before he determined if his emotions toward her did aim at love or not. What he did know was that he definitely liked her. A lot. He knew that his palms became sweaty when she was near, that his chest warmed when they touched, that her laugh made him feel lighter, and that her smile set his skin on fire. Those were facts strong enough for him to give her the final rose.

Groaning, Soul scrunched up the slip of paper he had been writing on and tossed it over his shoulder with the others.

"How do I say 'I wanna kiss you away from the cameras and maybe hold your hand forever' without it bein' creepy?" he asked to no one in particular.

Though, he did receive a snort from Oglesby that he concluded was from sleepiness and not from Soul sounding sappy and pathetic.

Minutes passed by with him staring up at the ceiling before an idea crossed his mind. He sat upright in his chair again, grabbed a slip of paper, and scribbled down five words. They weren't much, but they would do. Hopefully Maka understand the meaning behind them and was able to decipher that yes, he did indeed like her.

On the slip of paper he wrote, 'I LIKED THE CHEEK KISS'.


	2. Types of Kisses

**I. Good Morning Kiss**

 

Pale sunlight streamed in through the curtains. White dust danced above the hardwood floors, circling around in the air as they chased one another. Warm breath slapped against Maka’s neck in time with the steady rise of Soul’s chest pressed against her. 

The distinct sound of a rooster crowing broke through the silence of dawn, alerting everyone on the ranch that it was time to get up. Maka blearily stared at the dust particles. She followed their path as they flew up, dropped toward the ground, and then were picked back up by the air conditioner.

It was another normal, serene morning on the ranch.

A few minutes passed by in which Maka continued to distract herself with the dust. Eventually she furled and unfurled her toes to stretch out her calves and wake her legs up, stretched her back while being careful not to wake her partner, and let out a content moan. The arm around her waist tightened. She stilled, waiting to see if Soul was awake or not. When he loosened his grip and sniffed, she relaxed. He was still asleep.

Her phone then buzzed twice on the nightstand to notify her of a text message. Soul grunted, and she imagined his nose twitching like a bunny’s as it always did before he woke up.

While Soul stretched and moaned behind her, Maka grabbed her phone to see who had text her. She sent a quick reply to the person after reading the message before locking and placing it back on the nightstand. Cool lips pressed against her neck as Soul nudged his other arm beneath her side so that he fully hugged her toward him. A small smile graced her face as he molded his body against hers. He tucked a leg between both of hers and nuzzled the space behind her ear.

“Mornin’,” came Soul’s groggy voice. “Who text you?”

“Wes. He’s going into town and wanted to know if we needed anything.”

“What’d you tell ‘im?”

“No.” Maka turned slightly to look at him, her brows furrowed. “We didn’t need anything, right?”

“Might need more dog food. Not sure, though. And you ate all the good cereal so there’s that.”

He whined in protest as she destroyed the perfect molding he had created between them in order to glare at him.

“Excuse me, but no I didn’t! You’re the one who had the last bowl of Frosted Flakes.”

“Mm, it’s too early to argue,” he cried as he attempted to cuddle up with her again. “But it was you who ate the last bit of Frosted Flakes.”

She felt his smug grin against her skin, and she lightly slapped his shoulder. “No it wasn’t. You’re the one who eats cereal at night, not me. So if we’re out, it’s because of you.”

Soul didn’t respond.

Instead he pressed his lips against the crook of her neck, kissed along her jawline, and up toward her lips. She giggled when he threaded his fingers through her hair. A shiver ran down her spine as he did so, and her scalp tingled at the feel of his touch. His mouth curved and molded to match hers, mimicking every move she made. Maka moaned when he gently sucked on her bottom, a comfortable warmth washing over her body as he did so.

One hand laid splayed on his chest while the other trailed up his shoulders to the nape of his neck where they tangled themselves in his hair. She felt him moan against her lips when she did so, and she seized her opportunity to take control. Pressing her mouth firmly against his, she nibbled on his bottom lip, rolling the flesh between her teeth, and released it before going back for another one. He moaned in appreciation when her tongue flicked out to lick between his lips, and she found herself overpowered when he took control once again.

This time around he was more forceful. His lips pressed harder against hers, a fervent desire that he reserved for the nights when they weren’t ready to sleep. Hot liquid pooled in her lower abdomen as one hand travelled down her side. He gently brushed along the sliver of exposed skin from her where her shirt rode up, sending goosebumps to prick her skin. When he cupped her rear, she let out a small squeak of surprise. Something hard poked her in the stomach, and her senses were brought back to normal.

“You’re not gonna distract me with kisses,” she said. She untangled herself from his grip and pushing him back to his side of the bed. “And you’re definitely not gonna distract me with other _things_.”

“You’re really gonna let _cereal_ get between us?”

“When you accuse me of finishing it when you know I didn’t, yes.”

The side of his mouth curved up in a small smile as he reached out to pull her toward him which she willingly let him do. He scooted closer toward her, rested his forehead on top of hers, and kissed the tip of her nose. She smiled despite herself because the truth was she wasn’t _really_ mad at him for the cereal thing.

“If I agree that it was me, will you drop it?” he asked.

“You’re only saying that ‘cause you don’t have to work on the ranch today,” she grinned.

“So what if I am?” he drawled. “Don’t hear you complain’.”

“You’re ridiculous,” she said while wrapping her hands around his neck and pulling him down for a tender kiss. “I’ll text Wes to get us some dog food and Frosted Flakes ‘cause you ate them both.”

She sensed rather than saw his smile drop, and heard the slight panic in his voice as he said, “Please don’t imply I ate dog food. Wes’ll never let that one go.”

“Shoulda thought of that before you said I ate the last of the cereal,” she singsonged while rolling over to grab her phone.

“Maaakaaa,” Soul whined. “No.”

After sending off the text, Maka rolled back over to show it to Soul to reveal that she hadn’t implied any correlation between him and dog food.

“You’re a butt,” he said before kissing her and climbing on top of her.

**II. I’ve Missed You Kiss**

 

Maka anxiously sat in the pickup area of the airport. She crossed and uncrossed her legs about a dozen times as she stared at the doors leading from the terminal. The backlight on her phone shone up at her when she checked the time for the thousandth time to see that only a minute had passed since she had done so previously. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that people around her thought she was a maniac. No one in their right mind was this anxious over seeing someone.

Unless they hadn’t seen the person in five months.

Five months had passed since The Bachelor ended. Thus five months had passed since the last time she physically saw Soul. They had their Skype dates and FaceTime calls between that time, but it wasn’t the same. It didn’t fill the void of having him near her, to cuddle with him while they laid in bed, or listen to him sleep beside her. She knew it was silly and ridiculous, but what she wanted most was to experience the couple part of their relationship. Which was the part of his visit she was most excited about.

The double doors opened suddenly as a wave of people entered the area. Maka flew to her feet. She stood up on her tiptoes to scan the crowd for either the familiar mop of white hair or Soul’s cowboy hat. Others who had been waiting ran toward their person, hugging them on impact. A pang of jealousy shot through her heart when a girl jumped into the arms of her boyfriend and kissed him.

“Maka!” came a silky warm voice not far from her.

Turning in the direction it came, she immediately spotted Soul as he pushed his way over to her. A wide grin spread across her face that echoed his own, and her heart felt lighter and heavier at the same time. The familiar butterflies fluttered around her stomach as she met him halfway. Her senses dulled; the chatter of everyone in the pickup area quieted and the people seemed to swarm around them like the great sea. Soul’s sanguine eyes glistened, his goofy lopsided smile cuter than she remembered, and his voice huskier than her mind had made it out to be these last few months.

His hand gently caressed her arm. Starting at her elbow, it lightly made it’s way down until it reached her own hand and tangled their fingers together. She felt the roughness of them that was reminiscent of someone who did ranch work all day, but soft enough to tell her that he knew how to care for a living being. Caring and strong.

She pulled his arm to the small of her back and placed it there to close the distance between them. Pressing her hands against his chest, she felt the muscles that laid hidden beneath his shirt. They twitched in response to her touch before her hands drifted up to his collar and around his neck, giving her the perfect angle to draw him closer to her. Soft lips melted against hers in a soothing sigh she didn’t know was hers or his. Her core tightened when he molded her hips against his, and cool liquid pooled in the pit of her stomach as his other hand touched the space between her backbones.

They stood there completely pressed against each other in the middle of the airport. Neither of them noticed the people that crowded around the circular conveyor belt to grab their luggage. Maka faintly thought of the idea of someone gawking at them or groaning because they were acting like the typical couple in an airport, but it vanished before she dwelled too hard on it. When it came down to it, it didn’t matter. She hadn’t seen her boyfriend in _months_ , and damn to all who thought ill of them.

Even if that person happened to be her afterward.

Breaking away from him first, Maka watched him – inches apart. His goofy smile became cheesier by the second as he lightly chuckled to himself, the mirth present in his eyes. Soul kissed the top of her head before speaking.

“What was that for?”

Maka shrugged. “Don’t know? It kinda happened?”

“Whatever it was, I hope it happens again.”

Stepping up on her tiptoes, she chastely kissed him again. “Me too.”

Another minute or so rolled by with them standing there before a voice over the intercom reminded passengers to collect their baggage. Reluctantly, Maka pushed herself away from Soul. The edge of his mouth exposed his disappoint as it dipped for the briefest of seconds and he composed himself again.

“Probably best if we move this to my apartment?” she asked with a coy smile. “Then maybe we can kiss and do a little more?”

That seemed to lighten his mood.

**III. Slow Dance Kiss**

 

Maka raised her glass to eye level and swirled the pink liquid around with the tip of her finger. It was her third mixed drink since they came back home. She didn’t feel overly inebriated like she did on girl’s night out back in New York. Instead the alcohol in her drinks had left her with a slight buzz. Not enough so that she had a pounding headache the next day, but definitely enough that she was giddier than normal.

“Why do you do that?” Soul asked.

She took a sip of her drink, the warm liquid burning down her throat, and rested the glass on top of her thigh. Her bare feet dangled over the side of the counter she sat on top of, lightly kicking at the air.

“Don’t know,” she shrugged. “Guess I’ve seen Liz and Tsu do it so many times that it’s rubbed off on me.”

To be honest, it had become a habit throughout the years she lived in New York City from nights of hopping from bar to bar. There were too many times when men tried to slip something in girls’ drinks for Maka and her friends not to grow more cautious. Usually it was a crushed up pill that the men used. If any of them noticed white dust swirling around in the liquid, they knew what it meant and got the hell out of dodge.

She didn’t need to perform the trick now, granted, since she not only made the drink herself but also trusted Soul more than any man in a dingy bar. But old habits were hard to kick.

“What are we having tonight?”

Setting her glass beside her, Maka leaned over the sink to see inside the pot Soul busied himself with. A heavy scent of garlic bread mixed with marinara sauce filled her apartment for their late night dinner together. She knew perfectly well what he was cooking for them – it didn’t take a brain surgeon to fit the pieces together – but she was still curious for him to tell her.

“Spaghetti with garlic bread,” Soul said. Throwing her a sly look, he added, “And salad if you remembered to make it.”

“Course I did. Your plane was an hour late so I had time to do it before I went to pick you up.” She pursed her lips and half-heartedly glared. “I forget one time, and you refuse to drop it. Learn to let things go, Evans.”

Her foot flicked to the side to kick him, but he caught it her ankle before she could do so. With his other hand, he reached over to tickle the underside of her foot. She twitched and squealed in response, trying to wiggle her foot away from him. When she was successful, she stuck her tongue out that he only laughed at.

“It’s more fun teasin’ you, though,” he said, turning back to the stove.

“You’re lucky you’re cute or else I’d slap you,” she pouted.

She blushed at the comprehension and meaning her words held and turned away from Soul’s smug grin. The alcohol had slowly made its way into her system to the point that her mind felt lighter and everything that came out her mouth danced along the edge of truth. A truth she wouldn’t dare express if it weren’t for the slight buzz.

“You think I’m cute?” he asked.

“Shuddup.”

Averting her gaze from his, she took another sip of her drink and muttered, “I’m dating you, aren’t I? We’ve had sex, haven’t we? Doesn’t take someone with a PhD to figure out that I must think you’re cute in some way.”

“So I am cute?”

A moment passed in which they only stared at each other. Pink warmth blossomed over her cheeks that she wasn’t sure was from the alcohol or Soul’s knowing smile. Either way, she felt stuffy sitting on the countertop. She hopped down to make her way over to where her stereo system sat. It was outdated and old – something from the 90’s she couldn’t let go of – and still had a spot for cassettes. The sad part about it was the fact that she also still owned the square devices.

“I’m gonna put some music on. It’s way too quiet, and your smugness is too loud.”

“My _smugness_?”

“Yes. Your smugness.”

“How can that be–”

“I don’t know,” she said, sorting through the old cassettes. “It just is.”

Soul didn’t respond.

Maka found an old cassette – older than the others – that had smudged out writing on the darkened label that used to be white. She didn’t remember where it had come from or whose it belonged to. It might have been her curiosity that drew her to place it in its correct spot and press play. Immediately, the soothing chords of a guitar came out to meet her before the artist began to sing that she recognized. George Strait. _You Look So Good in Love_. A classic.

Her eyes closed as she started to slowly sway to the song as memories of being cooped up in her grandpa’s truck on road trips came back. It had been his cassette she put in that had somehow found itself in her collection somehow. She had despised the music in her youth, but now it it was everything she needed. Maybe in some weird twist of fate she had been meant to end up with Soul, the ranch boy, this entire time because she hadn’t much favored him in the beginning either.

Tying her hair up in a ponytail, she felt warm hands grip her hips and soft lips pressed against the nape of her neck.

“Would you like to dance?” Soul asked.

“I thought you didn’t like country music.”

“Always had a soft spot for George Strait.”

Not bothering to conceal the smile on her face, Maka slowly turned around. Soul’s arms wrapped themselves around her hips at the same time her own did the same around his neck. They swayed in time to the music high school dance style, but without the cheese factor. Even in her buzzed state, Maka couldn’t find it in herself to comment on how lame the act was because deep down it felt romantic and sweet.

Every now and then her toes hit the front of his boots, and it sent her to giggle at the action. Soul’s breath warmed her face as his lips brushed against hers; the kiss soft and gentle that reflected the song. She was thrown back to their time on The Bachelor show in that moment. The distinct scent of plywood and stale alcohol were thankfully absent along with the other couples dancing around them.

It was only the two of them.

In her small apartment in New York City.

“And I had my chances,” Soul sang in the same tone as George, “but I set you free. And now I wonder why I couldn’t see. You look so good in love. You want him, that’s easy to see.”

“Is this how all our dancing is gonna be? With you singing?” she giggled.

“You don’t like it?” he said in hushed tones.

“It’s so cheesy.” She pulled him down to chastely press a kiss on his lips. “But I like it.”

The song switched. It was another slow dance one by the same artist: _Carrying Your Love With Me_. Soul’s voice was low and husky as he sang the main chorus against her lips. He gently kissed her in between the words, a ghost feeling that sent chills down her spine and a cool liquid to pool in her lower abdomen. She dropped her arms so that she hugged him and pressed her ear against his chest. Tingles danced across her scalp at the sound his steady heartbeat that echoed her own.

As the song slowly died, Maka sniffed a heavy, burnt smell in the apartment.

“Soul,” she began, opening her eyes, “did you turn down the heat for the sauce?”

“Shit,” he all but whispered.

Soul untangled himself from her arms to make a mad dash toward the kitchen. She giggled to herself as she watched him remove the pot from the stove top and turn down the heat, cursing under his breath as he did so.

“I hope you know that I like my food to be warm, not burnt,” she teased.

“I’m tryin’.”

He opened the oven to take out the garlic bread and tossed the tray in anger. Walking over to him, she peered over his shoulder to see the ends of them darkened and laughed. More to herself than anything else. The glare he gave her was half-heartedly done, but the slight pout endearing. Kissing the edge of his mouth, she smiled and wound her arms around his middle.

“Maybe we can cut the ends of and eat around the burnt part?”

“I really wanted to be a gentleman tonight and make you dinner.”

“You didn’t ruin it, though. We can work around it. You didn’t burn the sauce, right?”

“Don’t think so.”

“Then it’s fine.”

There was a small pause. “Ruined the romance of tonight.”

Maka leaned up to kiss the shell of his ear. “No you didn’t. It’s still a nice date. I’m enjoying it.”

“If you say so.” He still didn’t sound convinced, though.

The timer for the noodles dinged, and Maka didn’t waste any time as she stepped around him to take them off the fire.

“Well, the noodles are saved. Pour some of the sauce on top, add my salad, cut around the burnt ends of the bread, and we can still have a romantic dinner,” she cheerfully said. “And then we can cuddle on the couch and watch some TV. Maybe kiss a little?”

“Maybe in bed instead of the couch?”

It was her turn to pout and glare.

She broke off a piece of the burnt bread and tossed it at him. “You’re such a pervert.”

His arms wrapped around her waist before he kissed her cheek. “Yea, but you still think I’m cute.”

With a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth, she said, “Keep telling yourself that, and maybe one day it’ll be true.”


	3. Can't Sleep

**I. I Know That I Belong Here**

For someone who had grown up in the country, Soul despised visiting Maka in New York City.

It had nothing to do with her, of course. The days leading up to his departure from Texas to New York were filled with anticipation and excitement because he genuinely missed her. He looked forward to seeing her when the plane landed, holding her in his arms, and being close to her again. Spending months away from someone you loved with the only form of communication being behind a screen did that to you. A fact that he gladly accepted and dealt with because she was worth it.

The real issue laid with the city aspect of his visit.

Truth be told, he didn’t understand why anyone in their right mind would want to move there. New york City had been too romanticized in traditional media to the point that it raised everyone’s expectations, but it wasn’t that great. The sidewalks were always crowded, the stench of garbage sat on every corner, and traffic was a constant nuisance. One would think these things would stop when the sun went down, but that was a hopeless dream. It was truly a city that never slept with horns honking and people complaining below Maka’s apartment.

What he hated most about visiting his girlfriend was trying to get some rest.

Soul laid in bed wide awake staring at the ceiling. He listened to the people on the streets yelling at each other to get out the way or arguing with a driver because they were almost run over. It didn’t stop there, either. One of the billboards that was inconveniently placed outside Maka’s window flashed an abundance of colors inside. Purple, yellow, pink, you name it; they all came blaring inside while his girlfriend slept peacefully beside him.

There were some nights he assumed she had been a superhero in a past life or a wizard because she always found the time to rest amongst the chaos. It never seemed to bother her, but that probably had more to do with the fact that she was used to the city. Unlike him.

Wide open spaces, a dog snoring on his back, crickets chirping; those were open to him.

Rolling onto his side, Soul attempted to get some rest by shutting his eyes and curling up Maka, but the moment he did so, a loud bang sounded downstairs. He frantically shot up out of bed, his heart pounding in his chest. For the briefest of moments he swore it was gunfire, but was reassured it wasn’t when a female voice screamed followed by the bang again. Maka’s neighbors must have been fighting once again. A weekly event, unfortunately.

He fell back in bed with a heavy sigh and attempted to count sheep. When he got to fifty, he stopped to listen to Maka’s steady breathing. That only resulted in him being overwhelmed with jealousy.

Finally, Soul gave up trying to sleep and left the bed to go to the living room. There he turned on the TV to the lowest volumes that still allowed him to listen but didn’t disturb Maka. If the city was going to keep him awake then he might as well endure it.

Four reruns of _I Love Lucy_ later found Soul in the same predicament as before. The only difference was the bathroom light turning on and off a minute later.

“What are you doing awake?” Maka asked, hugging her arms around her and staring bleary eyed at him. “I thought you went to bed hours ago.”

“Can’t sleep,” was all he said.

His voice sounded hoarse and tired. The perfect reflection of how his entire body felt.

Maka nodded. “I can see that. Did you have a nightmare again?”

“No. More like there’s too much noise goin’ ‘round here,” he sighed.

The theme song for another episode of _I Love Lucy_ theme song played again as Maka stood there staring at him. He watched her chew on her bottom lip for a bit before walking back to the bedroom.

“You goin’ back to bed?” he asked curiously.

She didn’t say anything, though. He listened for her movements in the other room, but couldn’t decipher any of them as she moved about. The only sound he made out was the opening and closing of a drawer. Nothing else. A minute later Maka emerged from her room with a Harry Potter blanket and a pillow.

“What are–” he began before she cut in.

“If you can’t sleep, then I’ll stay up with you.”

Sitting beside him, she draped the blanket over them, tucked herself in closer to him, and rested her head on his shoulder. She left the pillow at the edge of the couch.

“You can go to bed, Maka,” he said. “I’m fine.”

“No. I don’t want you to be awake by yourself,” she mumbled, getting herself more comfortable. “Besides, I like this show. I haven’t seen it since college.”

Soul chose not to argue further on the matter. If she wanted to stay up with him, then she was free to do so. The selfish added bonus of her being close to him and not sleeping peacefully had nothing to do with his choice either.

They sat there like that for one episode of _I Love Lucy_. Then a second. By the third one, Maka had dozed off to sleep while Soul stayed staring at the black and white show. Sleep had slowly crept itself over his body, but his brain refused to get some rest. The world outside was still too noisy and distracting. It set him on edge and made him feel antsy. He wanted to walk around the length of the apartment or roll up his lasso. Do something with his hands to help ease his anxiety.

Maka snorted herself awake beside him, leaned up, and stretched beneath the blanket. From his peripheral, he watched as she blinked a couple times before rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her bangs stuck up in a way that was reminiscent to his own hair in the morning after a good night’s rest; pieces of blonde reaching out toward the sky in every which way. The ponytail that had been tied directly in the middle of the back of head sat lopsided and loose. A red mark smeared her cheek from where she had used him as a pillow, and in the faint light he made out the seam from his shirt.

For all intents and purposes, she was adorable when she woke up.

“What’d I miss?” she asked, pretending she hadn’t fallen asleep which only enhanced how cute she was.

“You fell asleep,” he stated blankly.

“No, I didn’t. I was just…” she trailed off when he gave her a disbelieving look. “Okay. Fine. I fell asleep. But I’m _so_ tired. You can’t be mad at me for that.”

“I’m not mad,” he smiled. “If you’re tired, go to bed. I’ll be fine.”

“You need to rest too, Soul. Is there anything I can do to help you sleep?”

“Tell New York to go to bed,” he said dryly.

Her mouth pursed out in frustration while her brows furrowed in concentration. He knew right away an idea was cooking up in that bright brain of hers. Soul didn’t need to wait long to know what she was thinking because the next thing he knew, Maka moved away from him and laid down on the pillow she had brought before. His mouth opened to question her, but she motioned for him to lay with her before he could.

He did as she asked, resting his head over her heart while she nestled her legs on either side of him. It took some teamwork for them to get the blanket over them both, but they did it. Maka softly brushed her hands through his hair causing a comfortable sensation to crawl down his spine. His lids fluttered closed as she gently hummed under her breath and he listened to the calm beating of her heart. Slowly, the sounds of the city started to dull away from his senses as they oozed into her and only her.

The last outside noise to disappear was the TV when Maka turned it off.

Darkness filled the room, and Soul felt himself finally nodding asleep.

“Does this help?” she whispered.

“Mmm,” he moaned. “It does.”

“Good.”

Her mouth kissing the top of his head was the last thing he remembered before falling asleep.

**II. Right Here With You**

For a girl who had been around city life her entire life, going to the visit Soul was an experience.

When she had first arrived on the Evans’ property for the show, the first thing she had noticed was how eerily silent the nights were. There weren’t any vehicles honking below, no lights from billboards dancing over her ceiling, and no neighbors arguing at three in the morning. Though, it wasn’t entirely quiet during the weeks they had spent filming. Someone was always walking about or talking to each other in hushed tones. It may not have been New York City, the place she had spent close to ten years in, but it was a nice replacement.

Then she started travelling down to Texas to visit Soul.

It was during that time that she realized how eerily still the ranch truly was. Granted, there were a few sounds like crickets chirping or frogs croaking in the bog, but they weren’t enough. The ringing in her ears kept her up at night, the feeling that things were too spacious haunted her, and the fear of being away from civilization tormented her. They were ridiculous thoughts, yes, but they still meant _something_ to her. She needed the noise of the city to help her sleep. Not the combined snores of her boyfriend and Oglesby.

She hated the silence, and therefore hated going to Texas.

There were some days that she wondered if being with Soul was worth the torture of visiting him on the ranch. Those thoughts, though, were hushed by the emotions she felt directed toward the man. She liked him, a lot. He meant more to her than she was willing to say out loud. Therefore, visiting him every two weeks was worth the haunting silence that came with it, the sleepless nights that seemed to drag on for weeks. Soul and his family were all worth it, and she knew deep down that her restlessness would past. One night she would be able to go to sleep peacefully and wake up next to Soul; she knew that.

Her only wish was that that night would be now.

Maka stared out into the darkness of the bedroom, listening to her partner sleep soundly behind her. Every few minutes Oglesby snored out the most heinous noise that countered his owners which called for her to smile when it occurred. Except it wasn’t enough to help her fall asleep. Each time she tried, the ringing in her ears increased calling her heartbeat to pick up and a panic she hadn’t felt in years to overwhelm her. It was the same event that happened every weekend she visited Soul with no hope for a solution in sight.

Sighing, she rolled over onto her stomach and curled her body up against Soul’s. She buried her face in the curve of his back in attempt to find some resolution. A few minutes passed by that made it seem to work as her eyes fluttered closed and her mind drifted off to sleep, but then the ringing came back. The eerie sensation that something crawled toward her in the darkness overwhelmed her, and she shot up in bed in a manic panic.

Green eyes darted around the room to adjust to the darkness and spot if there was truly anything there. When her common sense came back, her heart slowed and the adrenaline in her blood slowly calmed. After a while, she sighed in content as her body felt less on edge. She drew her legs up to her chest and stared blankly in front of her.

A part of her knew that staying there would do no good – the same thing would only happen again – so she left the bedroom and walked down the hallway to the front door. Outside, she sat down on the front step of the porch, leaving the door slightly open in case Soul were to wake and see she wasn’t there. She breathed in the country air that swarmed around her. The stale heat that still lingered no matter how long ago the sun had set wafted up her nose before she exhaled it.

Staring at the stars above, she searched for the North Star and the constellations she knew by heart. She connected them together with an invisible string, mumbling their names under her breath.

It wasn’t long before she heard the click, click of nails as they scraped against the hardwood behind her. The door creaked open as Oglesby exited the house. He sat down beside her, resting his head in her lap, and glanced up at her with the droopiest eyes ever. She giggled at the sight of them.

“What are you doing out here? Huh, boy?” she asked as she scratched behind his ears. “You’re supposed to be inside sleeping. Were you worried about me?”

Oglesby licked her arm and wagged his tail in response.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry. I just needed some fresh air.”

Again, his response was to lick her and wag his tail harder.

“You’re a silly boy,” she cooed.

They both sat in silence. Maka scratched and rubbed Oglesby absentmindedly as she went back to the stars. When she marked the little dipper, she heard someone turn on the bathroom light from inside and a few minutes switch it off again. The distinct sound of someone walking toward her barefoot reached her ears. It was Oglesby’s bark of greeting that alerted her to Soul joining them outside, but didn’t get the chance to respond because he draped a blanket over her shoulders.

“What’re you doin’ out here?” he asked, sitting down beside her. His voice was still husky and deep from sleep.

“Couldn’t sleep,” she simply stated. “So I came out here for a bit.”

“You shouldn’t be out here. You’ll catch a cold.”

“No, I won’t. It’s humid. Not cold. I’ll be fine.” Soul rested his head on her shoulder and sighed through his nose. She nudged him. “Go back to bed. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“If I get up, you’re goin’ back with me,” he said.

“Soul.” She pushed his head away from her, but he was quicker as his arm wrapped around her waist. Sighing in defeat, she said, “Take Oglesby, and go back to bed. There’s no sense in you both staying out here because of me.”

“Not unless you go too.”

“I’ll be–” She cut herself off upon seeing the endless battle to get him back inside. “Fine. Stay out here with me if you want.”

Maka pulled the blanket tighter around herself and enjoyed the warmth of her two boys sitting on either side of her. Oglesby sneezed on her thigh, snorting cold boogers onto her skin. Cringing at the feel of them, she blessed him before falling silent again. It didn’t take long before Soul started snoring again. She would have left him like that had it not been for the drool that began to pool on her shoulder. Smiling to herself, she shook him awake and giggled when he shot up like a prairie dog.

He blinked a few times to adjust his vision, smacking his lips as he did so. His hair stuck up on the edges in the most endearing way and made her heart warm on the sight. She was reminded of how adorable he was when first woke up in the morning, before he showered and dressed for the day. In the moments when he was still vulnerable from sleep. The only thing missing was the sun shining through their window to reflect off his hair, but the moonlight was a nice replacement.

“Wha’s wrong?” he groggily said. “I fell ‘sleep, huh?”

“Yeah. And you started to drool.”

Soul glanced down at her shoulder. “Sorry ‘bout that.”

“I can wash it.” She paused. “Go to bed, though. You’re tired, and we both know you have a lot of work to do on the ranch tomorrow. You need your rest.”

“I won’t go without you.” He rubbed the side of his face and stretched. “Why can’t you sleep?”

She shrugged. “It’s too quiet out here. As much as I love it during the day, it’s horrible at night. I miss the city.”

“And that’s the only reason you’re out here?”

“Yeah.”

Without saying anything, Soul nodded and turned his gaze away. She saw the familiar concentration fall upon his face as he sucked in his bottom lip and furrowed his brows. He was concocting a plan in that brain of his, and she was more amazed at his ability to think considering how tired he was.

After a couple minutes, he stood up and extended his hand for hers. She didn’t hesitate as she took it and allowed him to help her up, taking the blanket with her. He led her inside with Oglesby on their trail, closing the front door behind the dog, and headed back to the bedroom.

“What are you–”

Cutting her words short, she watched him flop down on her side of the bed, pat the spot beside him, and opened his arms wide for her.

“Come ‘ere. Maybe cuddlin’ll work.”

Maka stood there staring at him confused for a while, but the memory of what she had done for him back at her apartment a while back flooded to the forefront of her mind.

Smiling, she crawled into bed beside Soul, curled up in his arms, and allowed him to hug her close to him. She pressed her ear against his chest so that his heartbeat – slow and steady – was the first thing she heard. The bed dipped as Oglesby jumped up to join them, molding himself against Maka’s back. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that this might help her with her insomnia problem. Within a few minutes her confidence was proven true.

The usual ringing didn’t occur as she listened to Soul’s breathing and his heart. Her fears remained at bay, and her worries didn’t make themselves known. It was only her, Soul, and Oglesby. For the first time in a while, Maka felt herself drifting off into a comfortable sleep wrapped up in Soul’s arms.

“Is this better?” he whispered.

“Mhm,” she hummed. “Much better.”

“I’m glad.”

His lips pressed against her forehead was the last thing she remembered before dozing off.


	4. Stuck in the Rain

While Maka helped Soul tend to the horses, she heard the distinct sound of something hitting the roof. 

At first it was light and soft like chicken feed being poured above, but then it steadily picked up speed drawing her curiosity toward it. She already knew what it was before sliding the barn door open. Rain – she found – was fairly common in Texas especially during the spring and summer months. Though, that didn’t particularly mean that she was entirely used to the event. For someone who grew up in Arizona, rain still felt slightly foreign to her.

It also didn’t help that when it rained in Texas, it really _rained_.

Staring out across the ranch, her view was blocked by sheets of water cascading from the sky above. It moved and swayed in time with the wind that blew from the storm. A stale smell of wet dog filled the air causing her nose to wrinkle, and she felt drips of it hit her legs as she stood there. Her heart dropped at the sight before because it meant that her and Soul were going to miss out on Evelyn’s fresh baked apple pie.

A strong hand touched her side sending an electric shock up her spine. Maka glanced up to see Soul standing behind her.

“Really pourin’ out there, huh?” he asked.

“Mmm,” she hummed. Dropping her gaze, she leaned against the side of the barn and sighed wistfully. “I was really looking forward to tasting some of your mom’s apple pie, too, but it looks like we’ll miss out on it.”

“Ma will save us a bite.”

“Yeah. If Wes doesn’t eat it all beforehand.”

The warmth of his hand disappeared as he moved to the opposite side, and the urge to join him crept in the back of her mind. It was silly, she knew that, to want to be with him all the time. Usually Maka was a stronger and more independent woman when it came to relationships. Except with Soul it always felt different somehow. He didn’t complete her like all the fairy tales and love stories romanticized. He was home. Her home, to be exact. Soul made her feel loved and cared for and _comfortable_ ; all the things she didn’t have with her pay boyfriends.

Not to mention the rain enhanced the intimacy of the moment. The serene calm of the rainfall held a romantic air to it, and all she desires to do was lay with him curled up on the couch.

“Wes isn’t that evil,” Soul said, folding his arms and leaning on the door. His face twisted into doubt, though. “Maybe. He does love Ma’s food. You could always ask Ma to bake you a pie later. I’m sure she won’t mind.”

“I’ll remember that if it turns out Wes can’t control himself,” she smiled.

A moment of silence fell between them as they both stood there. The rain started to pick up, larger drops falling to the ground than before. She barely saw the outline of the main house let alone the fence that was a few feet away. Maka’s gaze drifted over toward Soul who stared off into the distance with a thoughtful look on his face. His brows were furrowed together and his mouth sat in a tight frown. White tufts of hair peeked out beneath his hat.

With him standing there like that, she was reminded of when she had first met him. How he had polished his words to sound proper around the cameras and did everything he could to give off the vibe he hadn’t been raised on a ranch. She also remembered how much of a jerk he had been in the beginning. He had definitely been trying far too hard then because he was anything but a douche. Soul had shown her enough through all his actions and words during the show as well as afterward.

Soul was the man who took her out on nice dates and touched her in the most chaste manner. He was the man who knew how to curl her toes with a simple kiss. Whispered the sweetest words against the nape of her neck that sent heat crawling on her skin. He was the man who made her feel safe and secure when he hugged her. The man who made her laugh before bed, spooning in bed and telling each other the most awful jokes ever. Somehow Soul had gone from being the new source of her hatred toward men to being the most important man in her life. A fact that she was more than happy to admit.

Suddenly, Soul turned her and gave her his signature lopsided grin. Her stomach lurched and twisted in response, and a light blush blossomed over her cheeks. She wanted to look away – to pretend she hadn’t been caught watching him – but she couldn’t. Rose red eyes had locked her gaze in place.

It was a few seconds later that she noticed her own smile.

“Why are you smilin’?” he asked. “I ain’t got somethin’ on my face, do I?”

“No,” she quickly said, a small laugh mixing itself in with the word. “I was thinking about how we first met and everything that led us _here_.”

His gaze fell from hers, a glimmer in them in which she imagined he too imagined the path that led to where they were now, before he met her eyes again. A light laugh escaped his lips that triggered a warm liquid to pool in her abdomen. She hugged her arms around herself as the blush on her cheeks deepened with a thought she never imagined herself to have. Soul’s sanguine eyes were soft when he stared at her; a softness that she recognized immediately.

It was the same one she had witnessed on the night of the final rose ceremony and nights and days that followed. The same one that had been present the night he told her the same three little words that floated to her tongue.

The only difference was that she bit them back.

“Two idiots that didn’t wanna be on a datin’ show in the first place. Who woulda thought we’d end up together?” he asked.

Shrugging, she said, “Definitely not me. Ranch boys were never my type.”

He pushed himself off the door, and leaned out toward her with his hand extended, His fingers curled around her arm as he pulled her toward him. Her hands splayed against his chest immediately, a little ‘oof’ leaving her mouth while her brain attempted to catch up with her body. Maka felt his own heart echoing hers as it pulsed beneath her touch. She didn’t have much time to think about it, though, because the next minute he cupped her chin between his fingers and tilted her head up.

“And now?” he asked in a low, husky voice that sent a shiver down her spine.

Being the little butt that she was, though, she said, “Well, considering I’m here _now_ , in _your_ arms, Ranch Boy, what do you think?”

“That I really know how to rope a girl in,” he smirked.

“God, that’s so cheesy!” she said, half-heartedly pushing away from him.

“You like it, though.”

“No I definitely do not.”

But the smile tugging at her lips told a different story.

“I love you,” he said.

There was a split second where Maka almost said it back, and she would have if it weren’t for him pressing his lips against hers. She relaxed in his arms, humming as his mouth molded with hers. His hands gripped her hips at the same time hers drifted up to bury themselves in his hair.

The only thought that went through her mind during the kiss was _I love you, too_.


End file.
